Facilities Coordinator I

Job Title

Facilities Coordinator I

Agency

Texas A&M Agrilife Research

Department

Dallas

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

Dallas, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

About Texas A&M AgriLife

Texas A&M AgriLife is comprised of the following Texas A&M University System members:

• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
• Texas A&M AgriLife Research
• College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University
• Texas A&M Forest Service
• Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory

As the nation’s largest most comprehensive agriculture program, Texas A&M AgriLife brings together a college and four state agencies focused on agriculture and life sciences within The Texas A&M University System. With over 5,000 employees and a presence in every county across the state, Texas A&M AgriLife is uniquely positioned to improve lives, environments and the Texas economy through education, research, extension and service.

Click here to learn more about how you can be a part of AgriLife and make a difference in the world!

Position Information

The Facilities Coordinator I, under general supervision, assists with routine, preventative, and reactive maintenance for protected environments and related facilities, including greenhouses, shade structures, hoophouses, growth chambers, growtainers, controlled growing environments, laboratories, campus buildings, equipment, and other center facilities. The Facilities Coordinator I also assists with general facilities maintenance, including basic electrical, plumbing, HVAC, carpentry, mechanical systems, equipment maintenance, landscaping-related needs, and specialized center projects as assigned.

Responsibilities:

Routine and Preventative Maintenance

• Performs routine preventative and reactive maintenance on campus buildings, laboratories, greenhouses, controlled growing environments, protected environment structures, and related equipment.

• Performs basic work requests related to electrical, plumbing, HVAC, carpentry, mechanical systems, and general building maintenance.

• Performs general repairs and assists with installing new equipment in research laboratories, greenhouses, controlled environments, and other center facilities.

• Assists with maintaining buildings and facilities in safe, secure, clean, and operational condition.

• Perform basic and routine maintenance on HVAC equipment as needed.

• Assists with maintaining landscaping and exterior facility areas as needed.

• Promotes safe building access practices for faculty, staff, student workers, and guests; provides reminders as necessary and reports incidents, accidents, or safety concerns when required.

• Serves as a contact for after-hours building or facility emergencies as assigned.

• Operates vehicles, utility vehicles, and farm machinery in support of facilities and program needs.

Greenhouse Controlled Environment, and CEA Operations

• Learns and performs basic and routine greenhouse controller functions and controlled environment operations.

• Assists in monitoring greenhouse and controlled environment performance, environmental conditions, alarms, and operational issues.

• Makes simple programming changes to greenhouse and controlled environment controllers under appropriate direction.

• Assists with routine operation and maintenance of greenhouses, growth chambers, growtainers, hoophouses, shade structures, and other protected environment systems.

• Uses spreadsheets, word processing software, and/or other systems for record keeping, maintenance tracking, and operational documentation.

• Troubleshoots and perform basic and routine repairs and maintenance to fans, pumps, motors, belts, drives, and related greenhouse or facility equipment.

• Cleans and sanitizes evaporative cooling pads and related system components.

• Installs and removes shade cloths and assists with maintaining shade structures and other protected environment systems.

IPM, Pesticides, Safety, and Hygiene

• Assists with pest and disease monitoring and identification in greenhouse, controlled environment, and related production areas.

• Makes recommendations for pesticide applications as appropriate and under required supervision or licensing requirements.

• May apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, disinfectants, and sanitation products in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, label requirements, and center procedures.

• Maintains records, Safety Data Sheets, and inventory of chemicals and related materials.

• Assists with Environmental Health and Safety tasks related to hazardous materials, hazardous waste storage, sanitation, and chemical handling.

• Supports clean and sanitary conditions in greenhouse, controlled environment, and related work areas.

Specialized Projects, Irrigation, and Field Support

• Assists center programs on an as-needed basis with specialized projects, research support, facility modifications, and operational needs.

• Assists with irrigation installation, troubleshooting, and repair in greenhouses, controlled environments, fields, and other center areas as needed.

• Operates vehicles, tractors, utility vehicles, and farm machinery with attachments in performance of assigned duties.

• Assists with organic field activities, including field preparation, cultivation, planting cover crops, mowing, and related maintenance activities.

• Maintains records for organic field activity and assists with ongoing organic certification documentation as assigned.

• Maintains a clean, organized, and safe work area.

Other Duties as Assigned

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in applicable field or equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Ability to obtain a Texas Department of Agriculture Pesticide Applicator License within 6 months of hire; the Facilities Coordinator I must complete pesticide license category 3B.

• Valid driver’s license or ability to obtain within 45 days of employment.

• Ability to climb and use ladders and other equipment in a safe manner.

• Working knowledge of hand tools, power tools, and equipment used in facilities, greenhouse, controlled environment, and general maintenance work.

• Ability to operate vehicles and farm machinery.

• Ability to communicate professionally, both orally and in writing.

• Ability to work collaboratively with supervisors, center staff, faculty, students, and external partners.

• Ability to multitask and work cooperatively with others.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, horticulture, biology, plant science, facilities management, engineering technology, or another related field.

• Two years of experience in horticulture, agriculture, controlled environment agriculture, greenhouse operations, facilities maintenance, or a related area.

• Experience with pesticide application, IPM, sanitation, and chemical record keeping.

• Familiarity with HVAC equipment, air handlers, fans, pumps, motors, belts, variable frequency drives, and other mechanical systems.

• Greenhouse or controlled environment controls experience.

• Experience with irrigation installation, troubleshooting, and repair.

• Experience operating tractors, utility vehicles, farm machinery, and related attachments.

Other Requirements:

• Ability to work in harsh environmental conditions, including heat, humidity, cold, wet conditions, and dusty environments.

• Dexterity and physical ability to operate hand tools, power tools, equipment, vehicles, and machinery.

• Ability to lift, carry, push, pull, and move heavy objects, equipment, and materials.

• Work may be performed in potentially hazardous situations or involve hazardous materials, chemicals, pesticides, disinfectants, and mechanical or electrical equipment.

• May be required to respond to after-hours facility, greenhouse, or building emergencies as assigned.

What You Need to Know

Salary: Compensation for this position is commensurate based on the selected candidate’s qualifications.

Why Work at Texas A&M AgriLife?

When you choose to work for Texas A&M AgriLife, you become part of an organization that is an established leader in agriculture and life sciences with a wide range of capabilities to meet the needs of our statewide, national, and international constituents.

In addition, Texas A&M AgriLife offers a comprehensive benefit package including the following:

• Health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance with Texas A&M AgriLife contributing to employee health and basic life premiums 
• 12-15 days of annual paid holidays  
• Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month
• Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas  
• Employee Wellness Initiative for Texas A&M AgriLife

Applicant Instructions

Applications received by Texas A&M AgriLife must either have all job application data entered or a resume attached. Failure to provide all job application data or a complete resume could result in an invalid submission and a rejected application. We encourage all applicants to upload a resume or use a LinkedIn profile to prepopulate the online application.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.